2050 AFRICA’S INTEGRATED MARITIME STRATEGY (2050 AIM-STRATEGY) TASK FORCE FORMED

2050 AFRICA’S INTEGRATED MARITIME STRATEGY (2050 AIM-STRATEGY) TASK FORCE FORMED

This is an important step for the AU.  Deputy Chairperson Mwencha attended the AFRICOM/DOS Maritime Safety and Security Towards Economic Prosperity Conference in Germany held this past fall.  He gave a lengthy speech entitled "The Geostrategic Importance of Africa's Maritime Domain: Opportunities and Challenges." 

Supposedly the strategy will be ready for adoption by January 2012 but I won't hold my breath there.  That said, I am overjoyed glad that the AU is starting to make the maritime sector a priority pay attention to the maritime sector.  There is so much lost potential here but also a nearly unlimited opportunity for the continent of Africa as a whole. 

MSS Conference "African Maritime Interests: Security and Development" Plenary Session 1 Notes

My apologies for the passive tone in my notes on the plenary sessions.  I sought to remove the authorship/ownership of the speeches and papers read while still sharing my notes on the actual material and this involved an undue amount of passive tone.

  I thought it most important for the 'actual material' to be recorded in order to provoke discussion and debate and ultimately solutions for 'economic prosperity.' 

African Maritime Interests: Security and Development

             The session opened with some interesting comments on the connection between piracy and development.  In Somalia’s case piracy is aiding their development (just not in the way in way we want, nor in a sustainable fashion).  The fact was lamented that for far too long, piracy has been the sole concern regarding Africa’s maritime sector. 

            How well Africa is poised for economic growth was touted, citing Africa's quick rebound from the recent global financial crisis.  Another positive aspect that was highlighted was the fact that a number of countries have applied to EEZ extension licenses (Mauritius, Seychelles, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Namibia, Mozambique and Nigeria).  However, the necessity of stronger security and legal systems in order for Africa to realize success wasn't emphasized enough in my opinion. 

            An AU security council meeting took place back in April 2010 in which maritime domain issues were briefed.  The question was also posed: “If Africa has outsourced its economic and maritime security to date, then who is getting the money and supposedly doing this job?” 

            Noting the chasm between potential and realization, the statistics were offered that 1.2% of all shipping (by number) comes through African ports and .9% by gross tonnage.  Furthermore, Africa handles 6% of all shipping traffic and 3% of all container traffic.  A call was made for a holistic, whole of government approach (with a representation of international stakeholders) in connecting the golden thread from Africa’s oceans to its own livelihood. 

            General Jones’ stated belief that in Africa it is essential that public-private partnerships be emphasized was emphasized.  In the vein of think-tank-speak the 3 T’s and P’s (terrorism, trafficking, theft and piracy, poaching and pollution) were noted.  In particular, the keys for success noted were: the continued flow of oil, cargo and people in a maritime domain that isn’t conducive to terrorism or drug lords, thereby creating the necessary economic stability to hedge state failure, extremism and natural disasters.  However without the political will, none of this is possible.   A call for preemptive and proactive NGO and private sector engagement to create more effective partnerships was called for; and with it a question as to whether the U.S. government would be more effective if it consolidated its effort and dealt with only 1 or 2 countries in Africa that demonstrated political will and a cooperative nature (instead of the current less focused approach). 

            There followed a brief debate on the efficacy of a 1 or 2 nation approach when dealing with such a breadth of transnational issues.  Then in ensuing discussion, the need for a ‘supra-national instrument’ to engage multiple countries in building the infrastructure (roads and railways) was stated as necessary for Africa’s success. 

MSS Conference Keynote Speech by AU Deputy Chairman Dr. Mwencha

MSS Conference Keynote Speech by AU Deputy Chairman Dr. Mwencha

         














  Dr. Mwencha put out a lot of information in his speech.  I wonder if the AU Chairman would have been invited to this event had it still been Qadaffi...
           Again, it's worth noting that while the discussion during this event fell under Chatham House Rule, the speeches were all open source. 

            This was really less a speech and more a lengthy, oral recitation of a report (printed version of this speech spans 35 pages) entitled: The Geostrategic Importance of Africa’s Maritime Domain: Opportunities and Challenges.  To that end I have only included the more pertinent points.

Threats to Africa’s Maritime Domain: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated, (IUU) Fishing, Environmental Crimes, Arms and Drug Smuggling, Oil Bunkering, Human Trafficking, Sea Piracy, Natural Disasters, Global Warming and Environmental Degradation, African Population Growth. 

            It is important to note that Dr. Mwencha spent the majority of time addressing the ‘environmental crimes’.  More than any other threat, this was the one about which the participants from the African nations were most passionate throughout the conference.

Opportunities:  Wealth creation (from sustainable governance of

Africa’s Maritime Domain in fisheries, minerals etc), Security-socio-economic-development nexus (Concrete growth opportunities for Africa), and Energy (tidal stream turbines, wave, river, hydrokinetic, ocean current)

Challenges:  National (inadequate integration of land based and maritime actors), Regional (deconfliction and synchronization for efficiency), AU (creation of continental Chief of Navies/Coast Guards working group)

AU Initiatives:  Leverage the indispensable political will, Build awareness and sensitization, Promote cross-sector cooperation, Develop Africa’s Integrated Maritime (AIM) strategy, and Mobilize Resources

Way Forward:

- Heighten momentum of AU Commission in International Maritime Safety and Security

- Annual AU Maritime Safety and Security Conference

- Set up maritime-centric working groups

- Develop AIM

- Fine tune our Key Performance Areas (with articulate lines of action)

- Create SWOT teams to conduct gap analysis on lines of action

- Implement our Maritime Transport Charter

And he ended his speech with the following quote from Kofi Annan:

“There is no lack of resources, no deficiency of knowledge and no shortage of plans.

Africa's progress rests above all else on the mobilization of political will, both on the

Continent and internationally.”        

MSS Conference Speech by Ambassador Carson

MSS Conference Speech by Ambassador Carson













Amb. Carson began his remarks with the following excerpt from President Obama’s address to the United Nations (UN) last month: 

“We know this is no ordinary time for our people. Each of us comes here with our own problems and own priorities. But there are also challenges that we share in common as leaders and as nations."

This conference he noted, must address the shared global challenge of maritime safety and security.  He then stated that with 90% of the global trade transported on the sea lanes, maritime safety and security IS a cross-cutting issue that doesn’t fall outside of the purview (or capabilities) of any government (land-locked or not) or institution (maritime or not). 

            Finally he commented that there are six maritime functions essential for careful management, protection, and promotion of sound maritime economic and commercial security practices:

Governance- essential at the national, regional and subregional to support, regulate and protect maritime viability.

Civil and criminal authority- these institutions’ work often most closely resembles customs and border patrol and they must be able to cooperate effectively with other government structures.

Defense- whether navies or coast guiards, these organizations must be capable of effective detection, deterrence and interdiction of aggressive acts against a state.

Safety- one overarching authority must hold clear responsibility for ensuring it.

Response and recovery- encompasses capabilities to mitigate and investigate hazards and emergency incidents.

Economy- the ability to guarantee safe and secure maritime conditions is important to the health of its overall economy as well as that of the region (including the landlocked nations).

            He concluded his remarks by urging a collaborative effort to maximize Africa’s ability to benefit from the tremendous potential of their maritime resources. 

The collaboration needed that he emphasized is important because too often the maritime sector is ignored or written off as 'not affecting my area/land-locked country/far-away continent' etc.

MSS Conference Ambassador Huddleston Speech Summary

MSS Conference Ambassador Huddleston Speech Summary

She placed special emphasis on the importance of the sea to Africa’s economy.  In commenting on piracy she noted that while it may impact .001 percent of all shipping but in Africa’s case it not only garners all the headlines but also deprives East African nations of valuable vital resources (such as food during drought season etc.). 

Finally, she commented on the immense problem presented by the developing piracy problem in West Africa and illicit drug trafficking as it presents a tremendous potential financial windfall for terrorist organizations across the continent. 

West Africa truly should be the focus in Africa.  In West Africa we have a chance to get it right before the siutation deteriorates à l'africa de l'est.